Spider-Man 2's Natasha Ofili Talks Landing, Expanding, and Playing Hayley Cooper

Marvel's Spider-Man 2 was easily one of the biggest games of 2023 and built on the already strong foundation laid by its predecessors. After Marvel's Spider-Man focused on Peter Parker and Marvel Spider-Man Miles Morales switched focus to a younger titled web slinger, Marvel's Spider-Man 2 split the protagonist's duties between the two. It took a deeper look into their friendship and, in particular, their personal relationship. For Peter it was Mary Jane; for Miles, the game clarified his relationship with Hayley Cooper.

Game Rant recently caught up with Natasha Ofili, the actor who plays Hayley. She talked about how she originally got the role and the secrecy that surrounded it in the beginning. She also explained that Haley's role was originally much smaller than it ended up being due to the chemistry she shared with Najib Jeter, the actor who plays Miles Morales.

Natasha Ofili on how she landed a role in Marvel's Spider-Man series

Little did she know that she had auditioned for a Marvel Spider-Man game

It's not unheard of for actors in the gaming industry to audition for roles without knowing exactly what they are. Some high-profile projects are kept secret for a long time until the director is sure that they have the right cast. Ofili explained that this was very true when she auditioned Miles Morales' Marvel Spider-Man Hayley Cooper spoke of her shock when she found out:

''When I got the audition, they didn't say it was Marvel. It was a secret. They were looking for an artist, a dyer and a woman who was Black and Deaf. Then as soon as my agency told me I got the part, they said, “Keep it a secret, but it's actually Marvel.” It's a game about Spider-Man.” My mind was blown! The whole process was really cool. The body scan and the treatment of my face was crazy. It was so different compared to working on set.”

Haley's role was made bigger by the chemistry between Ofili and Jeter

Actors regularly comment on how different the experience is working on a video game as opposed to a movie or TV show, and Ofili, who is also an advocate for deaf representation in media, found it challenging in the best possible way. Haley's role was initially very small, but when she began working with Naji Jeter on the set, the director of the game noticed the couple's chemistry. Ofili explained how this made her role quickly grow into something bigger:

“It was a very small role to begin with, but then working on set with Naji Jeter, who plays Miles Morales, the director saw our chemistry together. They said, “Hmm, wait, they've got something good going on here.” We did some improvised things that weren't in the original script, and after that it grew into something more.

Hayley's expanded role culminated in her having her own side mission Marvel's Spider-Man 2which gave gamers a unique perspective on the deaf world. The mission, which took place in complete silence, highlighted some of the day-to-day struggles that a deaf person can face, an insight that earned developer Insomniac Games and Ofili herself praise from critics, not to mention the deaf community. Ofili is very proud of her work in games and hopes that her wider body of work can inspire black and deaf people around the world.